Nader Files in Colorado

THE NADER/GONZALEZ CAMPAIGN WILL FILE FOR BALLOT LINE IN COLORADO, THURSDAY, JUNE 12

JUNE 12, 2008----The Nader/Gonzalez Campaign today will hold a news conference on the West steps of the State Capital at 1 p.m. to announce filing for Colorado ballot status.

Colorado is the fourth state in which the Nader/Gonzalez Campaign has filed for a ballot line. The campaign plans to have filed in 10 states before the end of the month, and is on track to be on 40-plus ballot lines.

Colorado's requirements for independent presidential candidates appearing on the ballot strike a fair balance and are among the most democratic in the nation. According to the Colorado Secretary of State's Office, a candidate is required to submit a notarized statement of intent and a none-refundable fee of $500 no later than June 17, 2008. The statement of intent must include the names of registered electors who are nominated by the campaign to be presidential electors. By contrast, in the neighboring state of Arizona with a similar population, candidates for President must turn in 21,759 valid signatures to obtain a spot on the ballot.

Colorado is a "swing state" that has historically favored fair access to the ballot, unlike many states that place burdensome, excessive obstacles in the way of the voters' right to a wide range of choices. For example, in 2004, Colorado voters had a diverse but not unwieldy choice between 12 candidates for president. The most candidates that have ever been on a Presidential ballot were 14 (in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Tennessee in 1992). While other states undemocratically limit the number of choices to a few or even just two, the Colorado model sets a high standard for democracy that other states should emulate.